Moitra claims PMO pressured Hiranandani into 'white paper' signing, calls advocate Dehadrai an 'ex-associate'
New Delhi, October 20: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has made startling allegations regarding the Prime Minister's office's involvement in drafting businessman Darshan Hiranandani's affidavit, which was submitted to the Lok Sabha's ethics committee. Hiranandani, a prominent real-estate developer, claimed in his affidavit that Moitra had provided him with her parliamentary login credentials to post questions on her behalf.
In the affidavit, Hiranandani asserted that Moitra had targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi by attacking Gautam Adani and his group. He further alleged that Moitra was receiving assistance from individuals like journalist Sucheta Dalal, who were supplying her with unverified information about Gautam Adani and his companies. It's worth noting that Dalal has denied these claims.
Jai Ma Durga. pic.twitter.com/Z2JsqOARCR — Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 19, 2023
Moitra responded to the contents of the affidavit, describing them as "a joke" and suggesting that they appeared to have been drafted by someone from the Prime Minister's Office who also worked in the BJP's IT cell. She pointed out that the affidavit was on plain white paper without official letterhead or notarization, raising questions about why a highly respected and educated businessman like Hiranandani would sign such a document under these circumstances. Moitra questioned whether he had been coerced into doing so.
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Moitra also raised concerns about the timing and manner in which the affidavit was revealed, asking why Hiranandani had not read it out in a press conference or shared it on social media. She questioned how someone like Hiranandani, who had accompanied the Prime Minister on a recent business delegation abroad and had direct access to government ministers and the PMO, could be manipulated by a first-time Opposition MP into providing gifts and yielding to her demands.
Furthermore, Moitra alleged that the Prime Minister's Office had effectively forced the Hiranandani family, including Darshan and his father Niranjan Hiranandani, to sign the letter by issuing threats. According to her, they were given a mere 20 minutes to sign the document, with the implication that their businesses, facing potential CBI raids and disruptions to government contracts and PSU bank financing, were at stake.
In light of these allegations, it's suggested that Darshan Hiranandani may have been compelled to sign the affidavit, given the significant interests associated with his family's businesses and the well-being of their thousands of employees. Moitra referred to Hiranandani as a dear friend and indicated that his decision to sign the document was likely influenced by the need to safeguard his family's business legacy.
It's essential to note that on October 15, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey had written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, calling for Moitra's immediate suspension over allegations of accepting bribes from Hiranandani in exchange for parliamentary questions. Dubey supported his claims with a letter from advocate Jai Dehadrai.
Moitra, in her statement, characterized Dehadrai as a "jilted-ex" who had a history of personal acrimony with her and was seemingly motivated by a desire to settle scores with her. These allegations have opened a new chapter in the ongoing political and ethical debates within the Indian parliamentary system.
- With inputs from agencies
